apology-draft

name	apology-draft
description	Draft apology and correction posts with tone calibration for the situation — from minor correction to serious mea culpa — with founder review and approval gating.
version	2.0.0
author	Crewm8
maintainer	Gokul (github.com/gokulb20)
license	MIT
homepage	https://crewm8.ai
tags	["social","crisis","apology","reputation","tone","trust"]
related_skills	["crisis-respond","brand-voice-system","draft-review"]
inputs_required	["situation-summary","severity-assessment","founder-availability"]
deliverables	["apology-draft-with-language-audit-and-review-gate"]
compatible_agents	["hermes","claude-code","droid","cursor","windsurf","openai","openclaw","generic"]
execution_tier	2
required_tools	[]
required_env_vars	[]

Apology Draft

Draft public apologies and corrections when the brand needs to address a mistake, misstep, or controversy. An apology done right can strengthen trust. An apology done wrong makes everything worse.

Purpose

Every brand will eventually need to apologize. The difference between a trust-building apology and a reputation-damaging one comes down to three things: accountability, specificity, and action. This skill ensures all three are present.

When to Use

• Brand posted something with a factual error
• Brand posted something that offended part of the audience
• Product/service failure affecting customers
• Founder made a statement needing contextualization

Inputs Required

• What happened (full context)
• Who was affected
• Severity assessment
• Founder's willingness to engage

Quick Reference

Severity	Apology Type	Tone	Key Elements
Minor (typo, wrong date)	Correction post	Light, self-aware	"We got [X] wrong — here's the correction"
Medium (insensitive framing)	Acknowledgment + apology	Genuine, non-defensive	1. Acknowledge impact 2. Apologize without excuses 3. Commit to doing better
Serious (product failure, offensive content)	Full apology	Serious, accountable, action-oriented	1. What happened 2. Full apology (no "if" or "but") 3. What we're doing 4. How we'll prevent it
Crisis (legal, ethical, safety)	Crisis statement from founder	Founder-led, may require legal review	Founder's voice, transparent, specific actions

Procedure

1. Assess severity using the Quick Reference table.

2. For medium+ severity: Gather full context, identify specific harm. Draft involves founder.

3. Draft the apology:

   • Minor: 1-2 sentences acknowledging error + correct info + self-aware note
   • Medium: Acknowledge specific mistake → acknowledge impact → apologize directly → state what you'll do differently
   • Serious: State exactly what happened → full unconditional apology → concrete actions → timeline

4. Avoid apology-killing language:

   • "We're sorry if anyone was offended" (conditional = not an apology)
   • "Mistakes were made" (passive voice = no accountability)
   • "This is not who we are" (if you did it, it is)

5. Founder review required for medium+ severity. Legal review for serious/crisis.

6. Prepare monitoring plan: replies to apology, follow-up if needed.

Output Format

# Apology Draft: [Situation]

## Situation Summary
**What happened:** [Specific description]
**Severity:** [Minor / Medium / Serious / Crisis]
**Who was affected:** [People, groups, customers]

## Draft Apology
**Platform:** [Primary platform]

[Full apology text, formatted exactly as it should appear]

## Language Audit
- [ ] Uses "I'm sorry" or "We apologize" (not conditional "if")
- [ ] Acknowledges specific impact
- [ ] No defensive/explanatory language
- [ ] Includes concrete action, not just words

## Review Gate
**Founder review required:** [Yes / No]
**Legal review recommended:** [Yes / No]
**Deadline for posting:** [Timeframe]

## Post-Apology Monitoring
- Monitor for [N] hours
- Watch for: [Continued criticism / Acceptance / New info]

Done Criteria

The skill is complete when:

1. Severity is accurately assessed
2. Apology includes specific impact acknowledgment
3. No conditional or passive language exists
4. Concrete actions follow the apology
5. Founder and/or legal review gates are set for anything above "minor"

Pitfalls

• Apologizing for things that don't need it (legitimizes bad-faith criticism)
• The non-apology apology (sounds like apology but takes no responsibility)
• Over-apologizing (10 paragraphs for a typo)
• Over-explaining (more words = more chances to make it worse)
• Not following through on promised action

Verification

Strip it down to: "I [did X]. It caused [Y]. I'm sorry. I will [do Z]." If that core is missing, rewrite. Would you accept this apology if directed at you?